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Thangorodrim
Thangorodrim was a group of three gigantic active volcanoes within the Iron Mountains in the north of Middle-earth during the First Age. They were raised by Morgoth, who delved his fortress of Angband beneath them and far back into the Iron Mountains. Before the destruction of Beleriand, they were the highest peaks in all of Middle-earth. History Thangorodrim was made up of three volcanoes of which were said to have been crafted by Morgoth from the slag and debris of the re-delving of Angband during the First Age. The mountains themselves were of little consequence during Morgoth's rule of Angband, save to occasionally spew forth fire and magma when Morgoth was either exceptionally wrathful or on the warpath. After the death of his father, Maedhros was taken prisoner and nailed to a cliff of Thangorodrim as a method of torture. He was rescued by his cousin Fingon with the help of Thorondor, King of the Eagles.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XIII: "Of the Return of the Noldor" After his family was cursed by Morgoth, Húrin was imprisoned in a chair on a high terrace to watch the curse unfold.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XX: "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"The Children of Húrin, Narn i Chîn Húrin, The Tale of the Children of Húrin, II: "The Battle of Unnumbered Tears"The Children of Húrin, Narn i Chîn Húrin, The Tale of the Children of Húrin, III: "The Words of Húrin and Morgoth" For a time immediately after the creation of Thangorodrim, the Great Eagles made their eyries on the three mountains''The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion,'' Chapter I: "Of the Beginning of Days" at the command of Manwë in order to bring him news of Morgoth's doings. However, at some time during the First Age the Eagles moved to the Crissaegrim near Gondolin.Unfinished Tales, Part One: The First Age, I: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin" At the base of the south face of the middle peak was the Great Gate of Angband, a deep canyon leading into the mountain, lined with towers and forts. There were also a number of secret gates scattered around the sides of the mountain group, from which Morgoth's hosts could issue forth and surprise their foes. Thangorodrim was destroyed during the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age when Ancalagon, freshly slain by Eärendil fell dead on the peaks and crushed them to rubble.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIV: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath" Size The exact size and height of Thangorodrim are unclear, though they were said to have been the tallest mountains in Middle-earth. One drawing by Tolkien illustrated in Karen Wynn Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-earth, if drawn to scale, would have made each mountain 35,000 ft high and five miles across, and the statement that it lay 150 leagues (450 Númenórean miles) north of Menegroth puts it too far away for some of the action in The Silmarillion to make sense; a distance of 150-200 miles would have been more consistent. It is possible that with the higher figure Tolkien was not referring to 'as the eagle flies', but rather 'as the wolf runs': the plateau of Dorthonion forced a long detour, which added the extra 200 - 250 miles to the distance.The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Thangorodrim" Etymology Thangorodrim was a compound Sindarin name, of the words for 'oppression', 'mountain', and 'group'; together meaning roughly 'Oppressive peaks'.The Complete Guide to Middle-earth Translations References de:Thangorodrim es:Thangorodrim it:Thangorodrim pl:Thangorodrim ru:Тангородрим Category:Sindarin words Category:Mountains Category:Far North